Braun WK200W Aqua Express Electric Water Kettle - White

The separation of kettle and corded base allows the former to be taken to the sink (or refrigerator if you're boiling pitcher-filtered water) without bother. It makes pouring at the table or in another room easy, as well. The cord can be wound inside the base so that only the needed length is exposed - neatening your countertop. The base has a "360-degree rotational connection," which means that you don't have to align the kettle in any particular way when replacing it. No buttons to press, no connector to snap.

The handle and kettle shell stay cool, obviating the need for a hot pad when picking it up, and the single control is as simple as can be: press it to start and it turns itself off when the water boils. If you forget about it, you needn't worry about boiling away all the water and leaving yourself with a burnt pot. (It will also turn off automatically if the pot is empty, the lid is opened, or the pot is removed from the base!)

The anti-calcification filter reduces scaling and thus the need to run a vinegar solution to clean out the buildup (something most people never do with their stove-based kettles). The design allows you to easily see the entire inside of the kettle, so you can keep an eye on things.

For those who regular drink tea or other beverages made with stove-boiled water, an electric kettle is a real convenience. This Braun kettle is about as convenient as they come.


Great Braun Electric Kettle   August 7, 2000
P. S. Brady (Inverness, FL USA)
264 out of 271 found this review helpful

We were recently in England and saw friends using an electric tea kettle that was different than any we had ever seen in the U.S. I had to have one. When we got home I found this lovely Braun electric kettle and purchased it immediately. It does all we expected. It has a large capacity so you don't have to refill it constantly. It boils very, very quickly and shuts off so I don't have to watch it. I love being able to take it to the sink to fill it without dragging the cord. It's very easy to clean because it detaches from the base. I like the large handle grip and the water window on both sides. We use it for everything instant including soup. How did we get along without it?


Clean Design, Very Functional   February 20, 2002
The Vinocat (San Rafael, California United States)
67 out of 70 found this review helpful

I got this after destroying a ... Alessi kettly by accidentally letting it boil dry until the plastic parts melted...

I was about to spring for one of the Zojirushi megabuck dispensers, when I spotted this unit. I have always liked Braun (more consistently good than Krups or Cuisinart) for their design and ergonomics. This pot doesn't fail to impress. This baby is FAST; It boils water at 1 minute per 8-oz cup (or faster, if you start with hot tap water). For a single cup of tea, this is about as fast as you can select a teabag and prepare the cup! BTW, this actually holds 7 cups, not 6 as described.

The design is very nice and clean-looking. The base is especially well-designed, since you can put the pot on rotated in whatever way is convenient. This is apparently a big win over the Krups kettle. The "mineral filter seems like overkill, but it does prevent splashing of the boiling water, and causes pouring to be very smooth. Cleanup is brain-dead simple (pour out the excess water after use, and flip the top open to allow evaporation). Pot itself does not get too hot to touch, and the handle stays completely cool. Automatic-off features work under all sensible scenarios: when it reaches full boil, when the top is opened for any reason, when lifted off the base, or when the pot is empty.

As for the Zojirushi dispensers? They may be useful if you want a lot of water (up to 5 liters for the big ones) held at a controlled temperature. But for most home uses, this need is rare, and otherwise deosn't justify the ... price tag.

For me, the Braun is one of those are kitchen appliances that took a while to see the need for, but now I couldn't live without. A real time and hassle saver!


Wow! Brains and a Body... What more could you want?   January 2, 2003
Yvonne (Aliso Viejo, CA USA)
26 out of 26 found this review helpful

This is nearly the perfect kettle! I bought this because my in-laws are coming for two weeks and my father in-law hates heating water in the microwave (he's a technophobe)... Needless to say, this Braun is a dream! Add the water, place it on the plugged-in base and "BAM" instant hot water!

The Braun kettle is almost idiot proof (which will be great for my mother in-law a great deal). When it boils, it shuts off... When you open the lid on the base, it shuts off... When you take it off the base, it shuts off... Great for those folks who are just too .... retentive/impatient and have to fiddle with the kettle.

Ok, downside... After it shuts off, you need to wait 10 minutes for a cool down/reset before starting the system again... Not too bad for those of us who can wait or think the water is hot enough, but for those folk who want an instant boil again, this might be torture.

All in all, great investment. I'm glad I spent the money for it. BTW, for those folks worried about plastic leaching, I have a family friend who's a chemist (he's also real environmental-organic freak) and has the Braun kettle as well. He told me there is negligible leaching... He told me you get more leaching from one of those Britta water filters than you do with the Braun kettle. Sounds good to me.


Fast, Clean, Well-Designed Workhorse   February 20, 2002
The Vinocat (San Rafael, California United States)
36 out of 37 found this review helpful

UPDATE, July 2007: See below for comments about this pot vs. an always-on water pot like the Zojirushi; I still like this appliance a lot, but I love my ne Zojirushi Micom water pot too!

I was about to spring for one of the Zojirushi megabuck dispensers, when I spotted this unit. I have always liked Braun (more consistently good than Krups or Cuisinart) for their design and ergonomics. This pot doesn't fail to impress. This baby is FAST; It boils water at 1 minute per 8-oz cup (or faster, if you start with hot tap water). For a single cup of tea, this is about as fast as you can select a teabag and prepare the cup! BTW, this actually holds 7 cups, not 6 as described.

The design is very nice and clean-looking. The base is especially well-designed, since you can put the pot on rotated in whatever way is convenient. This is apparently a big win over the Krups kettle. The "mineral filter seems like overkill, but it does prevent splashing of the boiling water, and causes pouring to be very smooth. Cleanup is brain-dead simple (pour out the excess water after use, and flip the top open to allow evaporation). Pot itself does not get too hot to touch, and the handle stays completely cool. Automatic-off features work under all sensible scenarios: when it reaches full boil, when the top is opened for any reason, when lifted off the base, or when the pot is empty.

As for the Zojirushi dispensers? They may be useful if you want a lot of water (up to 5 liters for the big ones) held at a controlled temperature. But for most home uses, this need is rare, and otherwise deosn't justify the price tag.

IMHO, the Braun is one of those rare kitchen appliances that took a while to see the need for, but now I couldn't live without. A real time and hassle saver!

UPDATE July 2007: well, I finally had occasion to get a Zojirushi Micom water pot Zojirushi CD-FAC22 Zutto Micom Electric Dispensing Pot. I have to say that the Zojirushi has replaced this Braun on the counter, and the Braun has been relegated to special-purpose use. Why? A full-time hot water pot makes for instant gratification. Also, the Zojirushi above (and many other brands/models of these pots) allows you to set the hold temperature to one of 3 settings (208, for black tea etc., 195, for green tea, 140 for baby formula and cereal), instead of just getting 100% boiling water. The advantage of ad-hoc pots like the Braun, on the other hand, is less energy use and ease of pouring in tall vessels or odd places (since the pot lifts off the power base). A true kitchen junkie will find a way to justify having both...